A company with a base in Tetbury has become a preferred supplier of emergency equipment for the UK public sector.

Survitec, which includes Tetbury-based Survival Equipment Services Ltd, has been granted preferred supplier status by the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) - the UK's largest public sector purchasing consortium.

Survitec, which supplies survival technology to the global maritime, defence, government, energy, aerospace and maritime sectors, has been placed on the YPO's Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to provide public sector emergency response and rescue equipment.

Martin Whittaker, CEO of Survitec's aerospace and defence business, said: "This is a significant development for Survitec. After a rigorous selection process, we are delighted YPO has approved our survival technology for use across the UK's public sector services.

"We are immensely proud as a UK-based manufacturer that we are able to support the country's first responders using the national supply chain."

Ordering a YPO-approved product through the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) will avoid a lengthy tendering process, allowing procurement staff to streamline supply, and benefit from cost and administrative efficiencies.

Martin Whittaker continued: "It is completely different from a traditional framework agreement, in that the DPS is electronic procurement process. It provides customers with an audit trail and simplifies contract management."

More than 100 different products from the Survitec portfolio have been approved for use by the country's ambulance, fire, police, search and rescue and environmental services teams.

Under the terms of the YPO DPS, Survitec will supply land, water and sea rescue solutions, working-at-height equipment and vehicle stabilising equipment.

Products include protective clothing and footwear, lifejackets, life rafts, dry suits, inflatable lifeboats and fast rescue craft, ropes and safety harnesses, fire hoses and pumps, lighting systems, pop-up shelters, rescue tools and cutting equipment.